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Download Article (PDF) SILUROID FISHES OF INDIA, BURMA AND CEYLON. By SUNDER LAL HORA, D.Se., F.R.S.E, F.N.I., A.ssistant Superinten­ dent, Zoological Survey of India, and NIRMAL CHANDRA LAW, M.Se. (Plates I and II.) IX. FISHES OF THE GENERA Gagata BLEEKER AND Nangra DAY. Recently while working out collections of freshwater fishes from Assam and Travancore, considerable difficulty was experienced in separating Indian species hitherto referred to the genera Gagata Bleeker, Batasio Blyth and Nangra Day. This led us to examine the entire material of these genera in the extensive collections of the Indian Museum with very interesting results. In this article we propose to deal with the fishes of the genus Gagata, of which N angra is regarded as a synonym, while the genus Batasio is treated in d~tai1 in the next article of this series. Gagata Bleeker. 1858. Gagata, Bleeker, Ichthyol, Archipel, Ind. Prodromu8, I, p. 204: (orthotype G. typU8 Blkr. = Pimelodu8 gagata Ham.). 1860. Gagata, Blyth, J ourn. A8. Soc. Bengal XXIX, p. 152. 1863. Gagata, Bleekor, Ned. Tijdschr. Dierk. I, p. 90. 1864. Callomystax, Giinther, Cat. Fish. Brit. MU8. V, p. 218. 1877. Gagata, Day, Fi8h, India, p. 492. 1877. Nangra, Day, ibid., p. 493. 1911. Gagata, Regan, Ann. Mag. Nat. Bi8t. (8) VIII, p. 564. 1911. Nangra, Regan, ibid. (8) VIII, p. 564. 1913. Gagata, Weber & de Beaufort, Fish. Indo-Austral. Archipel. II, p. 268. In 1858, Bleeker provisionally proposed the generic name Gagata and included a number of heter<Jgenous forms in it. It was not until 1863, however, that its definition was given and Pimelodus gagata Hamil­ ton, rechristened as Gagata typus Bleeker, definitely assigned to it. As Bleeker had not seen any specimen of Hamilton's species, his charac­ terisation of the genu~ ,vas imperfect and the systematic position he assigned to it was faulty. However, Blyth recognised Gagata as a valid genus, but remarked: "This, as it now stands, is a heterogeneous assemblage of species, and I know of none that can properly range with the, type of it, which is Pimelodus gagata, B. H.: a species with the maxillary cirri bony towards the base, as in Bagarius to a much greater extent. The Menoda dubiously referred to this type by Dr. Bleeker is identical with Bagrus eorsula, Val., which therefore must stand as B. menoda (B. H.); the Mangois appertaining to Iny genus A.mblyceps ; and another type may be here indicated as-Hara, nobis, n.g." Gunther redescribed the species gagata from 5 examples, which he regarded as "Types of the species. Presented by G. R. Waterhouse, Esqr.," and erected for it a new genus Oallomystax. He was aware of Bleeker's Gagata but did not consider it a valid genus and remarked: "Dr. V. Bleeker docs not appear to have been acquainted with this fish, 80 that not only the characters of the genus which he proposed for it are incorrect, but it is also improperly referred to the' phalanx' of Arii, and to the' Stirps' of Bagrini." [ 9 ] B 10 Records of the Indian Museum. [VOl". XLllI, Later workers, however, regarded Gagata Bleeker as a valid genus and considered Gunther's Oallomystax as its synonym. Gunther had assigned only one species to this genus, but Day included 4 species in it-G. cenia (Ham.) with G. gagata (Ham.) as a synonym, G. itchkeea (Sykes), G. batasio (Ham.) and G. tengana (Ham.). According to Day, the range of the genus extends from the " Rivers of Sind, India (except Madras) and Burma." One more species-G. schmidti-has since been described by VOlzl from Sumatra. Day established another genus Nangra to accommodate Pimelodus nangra Hamilton, P. viridescens Hamilton and a new species from the Sone River (Nangra punctata) and remarked :- " This genus differs from Gagata in its barbels not being placed in a transverse line behind the chin: and in its gill-membranes not being confluent with a broad isthmus but rather deeply notched. It is allied in some respects to Macrones, but has no teeth on the palate, whilst its air-vessel is enclosed in bone. " Our studies have shown that the characters distinguishing the two genera intergrade into each other and can at best be used for separating species in the same genus. In order to discuss the systematic position of the above-mentioned species, it is necessary to know, in the first instance, the precise limits of the genus Gagata Hamilton. Though quite a number of Hamilton's species are inadequately characterised, there is no difficulty in recogni­ sing P. gagata, as its detailed description and figure leave no doubt about its identity. Reference may here be made to a few of its most salient features as given by Hamilton. i. There are eight barbles; the two nasal and the four mandi­ bulary barbels are shorter than the head, while the maxil­ lary barbels are rather longer, and have a membrane extend­ ing half way along their hinder edge. ii. The anal fin is provided with 17 rays. 111. The fins are edged with black. IV. The bones of the head are roughened with variously intersecting ridges. v. The jaws are crowded with minute teeth, while the tongue and the palate are smooth. vi. Both apertures of each nostril are circular and are separated only by the nasal barbel. Bleeker (1863, p. 90) based his genus Gagata on the following charac­ ters :- "Cirri 8, nasales 2, Bupramaxillares 2, inframaxillares 4. Palatum eden­ tulum. Dentes maxillis pluriBeriati parvi. Scutum capitis gra,noBum, fonticulis lateralibus. Cirri supramaxillares basi membrana muniti. Spina dorsi edentula. B.5." Gunther gave a good definition of the genus under Oallomystax and included the following additional important diagnostic characters in it:- i. The two pairs of mandibulary barbels are inserted in a trans­ verse series immediately behind the margin of the lower lip. The maxillary barbels are osseous to some extent. n. The eyes are without free orbital margins. 1 Volz, W., Revue Sui88e de Zool. XII, p. 470 (1904). 1941.] S. L. HORA & N. C. LAW: Siluroid Fishes of India. 11 iii. The gill-openings a~e of moderate width, the gill-membranes being conHuent with the skin of the isthmus. Day added to the generic definition the character of the air-bladder which he found to consist of "two rounded portions, each of which is enclosed in an osseous cup." Regan in his synopsis of the genera of the Sisoridae defined the main skeletal features of Gagata an<LNangra. a. Text-fig. I.-Alimentary canal, dentition and air-bladder of Gagata gagata (Hamil­ ton). a. Alimentary canal. X 2i; b. Dentition. X 8; c. Air-bladder. X 3l. In view of what is stated above, the genus Gagata may be defined as follows :- Gagata comprises a group of Sisorid fishes in' which the body is com­ pressed and the snub-nosed head, though globular, is somewhat elevated, only rarely depressed. The upper surface of the head is provided with sharp, longitudinal ridges; it is covered with thin, smooth skin, but some. of the bones on the dorsal surface are variously roughened. The median fontanel is very conspicuous. The mouth is small, transverse and ventral. The lips are thick, continuous and somewhat fimbriated; the post-labial g~ooves are restricted round the corners of the mouth. The jaws are provided with small, villifo~m teeth; the palate is edentu­ lous. There are eight barbels; the nasal barbels are small and thin and are prolongations of the broad flaps separating the two nostrils on each side; these Haps, when present, cover a part of the posterior nostrils on each side; the maxillary barbels are osseous proximally, and are provided with membraneous Haps along the inner surface; the two pairs of mandibular barbels are shorter and mayor may not be situated in a more or less transver~~ ~~ri~~ behind the posterior lip. B2 12 Records of the Indian Museum. [VOL. XLIII, The skin in the thoracic region is smooth. The nostrils are close to­ gether. The eyes are subcutaneous. The gill-openings are fairly wide; the gill-membranes may be confluent with the skin of the isthmus, or deeply notched. The rayed dorsal fin is provided with a strong spine. The adipose dorsal is short but prominent. The pectorals arc provided with strong spines which are denticulated internally. The pelvics are J!orizontal and 6-rayed; they are situated behind the dorsal. The anal fin is short. The caudal fin is deeply forked. The air-bladder is divided into two rounded portions which are partially enclosed in bone and come in direct contact with the skin above the pectorals. There are 5 to 7 branchiostegal rays. Regan distinguished Gagata from the other genera of the Sisoridae by the following combination of characters :- "Praecaudal vertebrae normal, with the ribs attached to the simple para­ pophysis and the neural arches without the latera.} processes·; end of transverse process of fifth vertebra appearing a.s a rugose plate behind the lateral cutaneous area. " Head somewhat compressed and elevated; tail and caudal vertebrae norma1. " Mesopterygoid smaller than metapterygoid, pelvis behind the dorsal. " Gill-membranes attached to isthmus." Further, he distinguished Nangra from Gagata by the fact that in thel former the gill-membranes are free from the isthmus. Having defined the generic limits of Gagata and Na'l1gra we may now consider the systematic position of the various species assigned to these genera. Hamilton's Pimelodus cenia is undoubtedly congeneric with his P. gagata. In the former the author seems to have overlooked the minute nasal barbels. GUnther appears to have overlooked this species entirely, for there is no mention of it in his Catalogue.
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